A Bounty Hunter's Greatest Prize
by Comtemplation
Summary: The Night Class has been invited to a vague and mysterious dinner event. Kaname has his suspicions, though abides to attending the event with the rest of the nobles. Zero will be away upon this same day. Will they be prepared for what awaits them once the day of the dinner arrives? (Partial AU and canon story)
1. Chapter 1 - Placed Upon a Bounty

**_A.N.:_** _Ello, everyone! Comtemplation here! (Yes, I know my name is spelled wrong. It is on purpose, the beginning is supposed to sound like, "Contempt", which I have a lot of for some people. C:) ANYWAYS, my story is a completely different scenario. Cross Academy does not yet have Zero attending, Yuki has not yet appeared (Ohemgeez, I know right?) and I think I got some of the personalities jacked up. ;-; OH, and Yagari hasn't lost his eye yet. :3 There'll be another surprise in the second chapter. Ah well. Chapter 1 is basically the foundation for what is to come. I'm sorry if it seems rushed or out of place or lacking in detail. I haven't written stories for quite some time, I'm probably really rusty. Try and enjoy! :3_

_*Note: THIS WILL BE A YAOI AT SOME POINT. THIS PARTICULAR CHAPTER IS STERILE (some hints of relationship between Takuma and Shiki are included, though), AND FUTURE CHAPTERS WILL HAVE WARNINGS._

_Capiche? :3_

* * *

The silver-haired hunter was currently staring across the office desk into his master's lightly colored eyes, aware of the looks of expectancy within the orbs. Zero Kiryu, minutes before, had been given the opportunity to participate in the annual vampire hunt that was held by the Hunter's Association. Toga Yagari had his pair of eyes locked directly on the lavender, semi-surprised orbs before him, as he explained who exactly was on this 'bounty hunt', as the elder hunter had dubbed the event.

"Kiryu-kun, this year's hunt is far more widespread than usual. And, though you're still in high school, they've widened the age range for applicants. So that is why I ask you now, this year. And the hunt is only a day long, starting in just a few days at dusk. So it's either now or never."

Zero, a questioning eyebrow now raised, spoke slowly, analyzing the offer as it was presented to him. "Within this hunt… will there be-"

"Yes, only one this time. A very young one, very well known, as well." Toga knew what the younger hunter was going to say before the word even crossed Zero's lips. At this news, Zero's eyes widened. A _pureblood?_ A pureblood was to be hunted down in this event? In Zero's lifetime, he had never seen such a thing. Merely killed level E's, level D's… The young hunter's lips tilted upwards in a rather vicious smile.

"By that look it seems as if you want to participate, Kiryu," Toga murmured with a grin of his own as he leaned back in his office chair, brushing black waves of hair out of his eyes to look at his young apprentice properly. Lavender eyes were still on him, almost as if they were determined. Though Zero hadn't openly said he wished to join in on the bounty hunt, the way the young, lithe form was sitting up straight up in his chair, fingers curled inward along the arms of it, conveyed his anticipation.

"Why yes… of course, Master," Zero nearly stuttered over his own tongue. "B-But… who exactly is this pureblood? And perhaps the other vampires involved?" Even though he had asked who said pureblood was... he had a faint idea.

"Well… his blood is said to be the purest pure blood out there. And he's awful young too, at least, in human age he is. Very fine looking thing, I assure you. Though, when are vampires never fine looking?" Toga had gone on a complete bunny trail, and the enthusiasm that was once evident in Zero's lavender eyes was quickly dissolving into irritation.

"Master, I just want the name, and the bounty on his head."

"Ah, yeah. Kaname Kuran. I'm sure that rings a few bells?"

Oh yes, that name was certainly familiar. Not that Zero knew the pureblood in person, but the name of Kuran immediately made the young hunter visualize the male, with his wine colored eyes that were in stark contrast to the delicately pale skin… and the amazing elegancy the pureblood could have, even while plastering that mask of impassiveness over his face.

"Got a price of half a million, too. The other vampires that are attending come from the same place he does. They're nobles, and hell, they're worth a little less, but still just as fun to kill."

At the figures that implanted themselves involuntarily into Zero's brain, his eyes evidently widened… again. "What?! Where the hell is the application form?!" Zero demanded, and within a second he was on his feet, hands planted on the desk as he stared at his teacher.

At Zero's words, Toga grinned again, obviously satisfied with his apprentice's reaction. He retrieved a form from a drawer in his desk and placed it in front of Zero's impatiently waiting person. Zero grabbed himself a pen and furiously began to fill out the form.

"Seems as if I taught you well, Kiryu-kun," Toga said beneath his breath.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

The vampires of the Moon Dorm in Cross Academy all remained secluded within the comforting building. The president of these dorms, Kaname Kuran, had his inquisitively calm gaze remain on the letter he had just placed atop the glass table in front of him mere seconds ago. His followers had seated themselves on the several sofas in the lobby; all placed in a structural way so that they all faced the crimson chaise lounge couch the pureblood was reclining on at an angle.

"We are all to attend," was all the pureblood said, a slender finger tapping against his cheek in a slow rhythm, "this dinner party that is being held in just few days' time."

Hanabusa Aido was the first to speak up to this, icy blue eyes slightly puzzled as they flickered between the letter on the table, and the pureblood in front of it. "Kaname-sama… did it give any details as to who is hosting the party?" Aido, being oh-so-considerate of this particular pureblood, did not desire for this event to unravel into a trap before it was too late for them to realize.

"The address was of course included. It does say that one of the highest members of the Vampire Council is hosting this, however. Though that in itself is too vague for my liking." Kaname now arched a perfectly shaped, dark eyebrow of his, his idle gaze wandering briefly over to Aido. Aido froze in place – odd, his own specialty used against him under the pureblood's powerful gaze – and a light blush appeared upon his place cheeks as he tried in vain to steadily return Kaname's stare. Failing, he turned his head and was met with Akatsuki Kain, his cousin, just as handsome as the former. His cousin was grinning at him in a devious sort of way.

Ruka Souen cast them a weary glance and turned back to Kaname, brushing strands of blonde hair away from her fragile face. "Kaname-sama, I shall do everything in my power to make sure you remain safe throughout the party's duration."

At that, a smooth chuckle rumbled from within Kanama's throat. _Leave it to Ruka to be so thoughtful,_ Kaname thought, his gaze on her now. He pulled a slight smile but nothing more than that. "I am afraid that such duties are reserved for Seiren, Ruka."

The bodyguard kept her eyes forward, standing beside the door at her station even when her name was spoken by her master. Such was her job. To remain as quiet and still while keep her eyes and ears out for the slightest of sounds. Hired to be the best, for the best. The pigtailed vampire standing behind Ruka was quietly comforting her, even though the latter was making no visible sign of distress from Kaname's subtle rejection. Upon hearing the teasing snicker that came from Aido, Rima shot the ice manipulator a cold glare.

Kaname smiled, having intended to stir Seiren out of her stalk-still posture. Seeing as that failed, he directed his gaze to Takuma Ichijo and Senri Shiki, both seated on the same couch as Ruka. When the pureblood spoke, he only addressed the blonde male, "Takuma, I assume you shall be able to make the arrangements for our form of travel?"

"Yes indeed, Kaname-sama," Takuma stood, a smile now plastered onto his lips as he bowed deeply. Shiki stood up as well, and the two dismissed themselves from the lobby to the upper floor of the Moon Dorm, where Takuma would make said arrangements to the dinner party.

With Aido, Kain, and Ruka left, the nobles all quiet with their eyes locked on Kaname, who was now staring blankly at the letter again, they waited for what their pureblood leader was to say. When he finally spoke, his tone was soft. "I wonder at times.."

Aido and Ruka both said in synch, "What is it, Kaname-sama?" And following that, Kain gave them curious glances, while Aido and Ruka were both glaring at each other.

"I wonder… I wonder whether peace really is desired by the people."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Why did we come here again, Takuma?" Shiki asked as Takuma led them to his dorm room. "I'd imagine we should go to Cross and ask if we are even able to go to the party."

"You seemed eager for something else," was all Takuma said in reply, a faint smile on his lips as he pushed open the door to his room. "We can get to that later, can't we?"

Already, Shiki was blushing. He knew what Takuma meant, they had been doing this for a while whenever they got the time. Hopefully Kaname-sama wouldn't mind them having scheduled plans later than they were ordered to have done so. In fact, Kaname-sama already knew – or at least, looked like he knew. The pureblood was always capable of looking knowledgeable of things, whether he actually was or not – of their relationship together.

By the time the pair got to Takuma's bed, their uniforms already lay in a small pile on the floor.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

After Takuma and Shiki left the former's dorm fully clothed and clean, they went straight to Headmaster Cross's office, hand in hand. It was only when Takuma opened the door to the office that they untwined their fingers from one another. Takuma pulled a wide smile upon seeing the ex-hunter sitting casually at his chair, sitting upright last minute when he saw the two vampires too late.

"Ah, Takuma, Shiki," Cross exclaimed, a smile of his own on his lips, "Nice to see you! Came on account of Kaname-kun, I presume?" He used a finger to push his glasses back up to the middle of the bridge of his nose. The only time any of the vampires of the Night Class came to him was because of an emergency, or when Kaname had ordered them to. And the charming smile Takuma had pulled when he came in told Cross it was the latter.

"Indeed, Headmaster," Takuma said, while Shiki merely nodded in a rather submissive manner. "See, we've just been invited via letter to a dinner party hosted by a member of the Vampire Council. It is to be held at dusk, at a hotel on the border of the countryside. Kaname-sama said he believes the party is held there so guests can mingle outside without having to be bothered by the sounds of traffic and obstructive buildings."

"Sounds reasonable enough. You need not ask me for permission to things such as this, Takuma. You need only inform me of your whereabouts and I am okay with it."

Shiki giggled, which made Takuma nudge the darker-haired vampire playfully in the arm. Takuma returned his gaze to the headmaster and nodded, bowing deeply as was his custom. "Thank you, Headmaster Cross. I shall relay the news to Kaname-sama." After that, he and Shiki excused themselves from the headmaster's office back to the Moon Dorms, where the five other vampires long awaited their return.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Good work, Takuma. So when the time comes to leave, nothing will be delaying us." Kaname had mainly said the last sentence to himself, though his eyes were still on Takuma, who was standing by himself now, Shiki having taken a seat by Ruka like before.

"Yes, I've scheduled the transportation much to your liking, Kaname-sama," Takuma said. "Tinted windows on the two limousines I've rented out for the evening of the party."

Kaname's normally impassive face was suddenly very pleased upon hearing this. The sun wasn't too much of an issue for the pureblood, but tinted windows made his day all the better when the time came for going out in the daylight. It was the first time Takuma had seen their pureblood leader's face alight from such a little detail. Though, Kaname loved detail, so a part of Takuma wasn't necessarily surprised.

Kain was the last to speak before the vampires left to bed, since dawn was fast approaching, staining the closed curtains with its earliest and brightest rays through the windows. "And now… we merely wait."

* * *

**_A.N. (Again ;3): _**_Okay, glad you made it through! :3 Major kudos to ya'll who did. Hopefully it didn't suck too bad. ;-; I'm so amateur at writing VK fanfics (and fanfics in general), this is my first one. Reviews and comments would be lovely! ^-^_

_~ Comtemplation_


	2. Chapter 2 - Preparations Made

_**A.N.: **Hi guuiiiisssseeeeee! :3 I don't wanna keep you all waiting. So nearly right after I first published the first chapter, I started working on the second. XD *Epic FAAAAIIILLLL* Anyways. Story's going kinda slow right now. Chapter 3 is what you should anticipate._

_Note: A few curse words here and there. :3 A forewarning to those of you who are sensitive to it. And there's no yaoi in this chapter, so you guys can continue safely. c:_

_Enjoooyyyyyy~!_

* * *

"Um… where exactly are we going, Master?" Zero said slowly, his wary eyes on the road even though he was not driving. If he was, he would not have been driving as recklessly as his teacher, Toga Yagari. The ride to the event was made worse with the fact that Yagari was smoking a cigar inside his truck, and all the windows were up. So the foul stench lingered within the cramped space, and Zero had to bear through it.

Yagari cast him an amused glance out of the corner of his eye, swerving a little since his attention had gone to the younger hunter, whose eyes were now wide with fear. "To the hunt, remember? It's located near the countryside, where open plain meets a few hotels here and there."

With Yagari having begun to drive in a straight direction again, Zero went back to looking out the window. The sky was still blue, lighter than usual though, and there were pinkish-orange clouds occasionally scattered among it. It was near the point of being dusk, and Zero could see that there were buildings miles and miles ahead, only a few though. To the right and left of the speeding truck was barren land, only a few dried patches of grass sprinkled among the expansive, dusty terrain. The hotels seemed to be in far better condition, even from afar. All of them looked large and exquisite, and the one closest to the vacant land seemed to have several people roaming about towards the back. Yagari seemed to notice them too.

"Ah, that's them, it looks like," he murmured with his cigar still in his mouth. "You got your gun, Kiryu-kun?"

"Yeah," he leaned over and placed a hand on the steering wheel, steadying Yagari's wild driving since the elder hunter had swerved again. _Drives like a drunkard, _Zero thought flatly. Though he had not a driver's license, he knew damn well what to do to keep a truck from wandering astray. When he sat up straight in the passenger seat again, he reached inside his black leather jacket, patting around the inner lining to feel the cold metal of the Bloody Rose. He removed his hand from his jacket and spared a glance at the backseat of the truck. Yagari's shotgun lay across the seat. Rather surprised, Zero looked at the elder hunter, who could only manage a faint smirk since he had something in his mouth. "You're hunting in this, Master?"

"Hell yeah," Yagari's cigar nearly fell out of his mouth because of how loud he had spoken. "This only happens once a year, Zero-kun. The vampires who are lured into this are like blind mice. Unlike a normal hunt, the bounties here are far more valuable. And if you catch the pureblood, your reputation as a hunter is strengthened exponentially."

"Your reputation and kill streak is already extraordinary as it is though, right, Master?"

"Still fun to kill a pureblood, whether you have the reputation or not," Yagari muttered, shrugging a little. Thankfully his eyes had remained on the road ahead of them when he had said that. "And… it seems as if we're here."

Zero looked out the windshield again. It was now dusk, and there was a turn off of the main road that Yagari was now taking. There was a small parking lot that he was pulling into, a mile or so away from the largest hotel with the people around it. There were other cars, mostly black in color, parked in the small lot. All were hunters, of which most of them Zero knew. When the platinum-haired hunter stepped out of the truck, shortly followed by Yagari, he was greeted with several murmurs of something similar to a "hello".

"A+ for your enthusiasm," Zero muttered beneath his breath sardonically. He stumbled forward when Yagari pressed the barrel of his shotgun into Zero's back, much like a cattle prod.

"Everyone ready?" the elder hunter asked, before walking forward in the direction of the hotel. With a glance back at the motionless hunters, he continued, "Seems as if the hunters in disguise have already led the beasts outside, so we have to hurry." Yagari removed his near finished cigar from his mouth and stomped it out on the ground a couple of times, then continued along his way.

That didn't necessarily motivate the hunters into moving along after Yagari. It was the fact that Zero had was close behind Yagari after the eldest hunter had spoken, that the rest had followed in their tracks, weapons strapped into their holsters or along their backs. _Been an awful long while, Kaname,_ Zero thought, as he could just now make out a tall, slim person in the midst of several others at the hotel, one with wine colored eyes that seemed to be staring directly at him in surprise.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Kaname, Aido, Kain, Takuma, Shiki, and Ruka had all taken one limousine to the hotel. Seiren and Rima were in the other one, driving behind the one that the former six were in. The limousine in the lead was driving through near empty streets. The countryside, littered with more hotels than anything, was meant for tourists to stay, and most were residing in their rooms considering the time it was.

Shiki was sitting with Takuma, the dark-haired boy's head on the blonde vampire's shoulder. He seemed to be resting, while Takuma sat still with his arms around the sleeping male. The content smile remained on his face as usual.

A certain other blonde vampire was looking at them with his typical icy stare, seemingly jealous as he sat beside Kain, who was fiddling with his earring. "Are we almost there yet?" Aido whined, sounding almost like a child. Kain turned his head to raise a questioning eyebrow at his cousin, very much curious as to why Aido desperately wanted to exit the limousine.

"Oh, shut it, Aido," Kain teased, ruffling the blonde's hair up. Aido quickly patted it back into it's normal style, and Kain continued, "If you don't wanna see Takuma with him, would it make you feel better if I do this?" Just as he said that, Kain embraced Aido within his strong arms, though the underlying meaning behind it was gentle.

Aido immediately blushed. Not only had he realized how strong Kain was - enough to have several visible outlines of his biceps through the black dress shirt the male was wearing - but how warm and comforting his cousin could be. In complete contrast to Kain's wild side that he saw everyday at Cross Academy. For a few seconds the blonde remained quiet, Takuma's now amused green eyed gaze on the two cousins, before he spoke quietly while he squirmed. "Get off me, Kain. You're like a fucking furnace." Afterwards his squirming ceased, because Kain had then loosened his arms from Aido, and the blonde smirked with triumph. _Serves him right,_ Aido thought, _To start snuggling me in front of Kaname-sama. _Though Kain hadn't actually been _that _warm. It had actually been a rather pleasant warmth that radiated off of his cousin. If it hadn't been for the gaze Kaname was shooting them, he would've allowed Kain to keep the embrace intact._  
_

Speaking of the pureblood, Kaname was now sitting with his arms folded neatly over his chest, and his legs now crossed as he watched Kain ultimately get rejected. He was wearing a dress shirt of his own, a crimson one in color, with its top few buttons left undone and exposing some of the expansive, flawless plane of his chest. Like Kain and Aido, he wore black dress slacks of a higher quality than the nobles. Ruka, sitting a few feet from Kaname, wore a black dress that fit her form, her hair done up in an elegant style that framed her face and dark eyes.

"Seems as if we have already arrived, Aido. There is no need for fretting, now is there?" Kaname asked, his tone soft, though the way in which he phrased his question made him sound accusing. The limosuine had stopped and for a second all the vampires were quiet. From outside, there was the sound of a car door closing. Followed shortly was another car door opening, this time the one nearest Kaname. Kaname stepped out of the limo and stretched his upper body out afterwards. The rest of the nobles that had ridden with him followed suit. Ruka immediately went over to Rima, who was wearing a simple gown with lacing up the back, and the two began chatting as Kaname led them into the hotel through the revolving doors. Seiren stayed in the back of the group.

At the front desk, two males were waiting with small smiles as they watched Kaname approach. The taller of the two attendants pointed down at a sheet of paper that was in front of them, seemingly covered with reservations. "That's for Kaname Kuran. Looks as if they have a dinner party out back." The shorter one came out from behind the front desk and went deeper into the large lobby of the hotel, brushing past the bar that had several occupants sitting at the stools all focused on a football game that was being displayed on the overhead T.V.. The attendant, closely followed by the group of vampires, opened the glass double doors to the patio-like back of the hotel. Several round tables were orderly situated on the platform, each covered with a crisp, white linen tablecloth. There were only a few seats per table, so Kaname took his seat at one on one table while Takuma took head of another. Aido, Kain, and Seiren seated themselves with the pureblood, while the others sat with the kind blonde-haired noble.

Occupying the other tables were older vampires. Kaname could not figure out why they had all masked their auras and scents, however. Even though the pureblood himself had done that as well... but still, the only reason they would have been doing such a thing was if hunters were within the vicinity. Kaname, as menus were placed in front of them by suited waiters that had arrived, looked about the barren plain by the hotel. He scanned the area briefly, not having to squint since his eyesight was so acute. Even so, his brief scan of the surrounding environment did not give him a forewarning that, to his right, towards the small clump of trees by the road that stretched from miles and miles in each direction, was a group of cars, all parked.

And from the cars... several - no, not several, perhaps dozens - of figures were approaching at a swift walk. Though they still had nearly half a mile to reach the vampire nobles, it seemed. At the head of this group was a tall, thin man with crow black hair waving gently behind him... and a silver haired teen wearing a black leather jacket and a white tank top that defined the contours of the male's chest very well. Said teen was also wearing black jeans that fit to his legs, but were not exactly skinny.

But Kaname had not seen this advancing group or the vehicles in which they had arrived, and nor could he sense their presences. For they were using charms that masked their hunter scents, even the silver-haired teenager.

When the pureblood turned back to his fellow nobles, there was a waiter standing at their table, and the two cousins and Kaname's bodyguard were all looking at him quizzically. There was no waiter at the other tables, just the one where the pureblood sat, since he had not yet ordered. Kaname quickly skimmed the menu for something eat and murmured casually, "A fillet mignon, please. With a glass of chardonnay." The waiter dismissed himself after scribbling down Kaname's order on the pad of paper he had brought out.

"Took you a while, Kaname-sama," Kain said with one of his signature smiles, very popular... for the girls, at least. It merely received an arched eyebrow from Kaname.

Aido, seeing the pureblood's reaction, stepped in defensively. "Leave him alone, Kain! I'm sure he had his reasons!" Followed with that, he slapped his cousin in the arm, using a bit of his ice powers to make sure the strike stung with bitter cold.

Kain hissed and placed a hand on Aido's, instantly warming up the icy hand. Like the time in the car, Aido blushed. In a swift movement he snatched his hand out from beneath Kain's and huffed. "Don't do that. Just wait for your food _without_ touching someone, will you?"He had spoken loud enough for those at the other tables to hear, and cast glances at the blonde, causing his face to flush only further. His cousin chuckled and turned his gaze upward to the waiters that were serving the elder members of the dinner.

"I find it odd why we've been brought to a near vacant location," was all Kaname said in reply to Aido's initial question, his gaze wandering over to the waiters as well. "And why we are the last to be served."

The waiters were carrying in trays with covers over them to the elder guests of the party. In front of their places they opened the dishes' covers. And then what..?

_Were the guests_ picking _up their dishes from their plates?_Kaname thought, _No, they can't be. That would be absurd._ Some elders inclined their heads to the waiters, who left to the double doors but remained there, looking at Kaname oddly. The elders were staring at the pureblood too.

The noble vampires were looking from the other guests to Kaname, obviously confused. It was when there was a loud crash that all the nobles - pureblood included - turned their heads to where Ruka sat, now standing with her mouth and eyes wide open at her glass of ice water. It was shattered, directly on the table as if it had been shot, and water was now seeping into the tablecloth and dripping down from the hem onto the stone floor.

"Party time is over, bastards!" A gruff voice called. All turned to the source. A black haired man in a long coat, shotgun held up as if he were about to aim or had just finished doing so, was grinning broadly at them. He was only a dozen or so yards away. When Kaname looked back, the other guests were standing, all holding weapons of some sort. Covers were overturned to reveal that there were no meals on the plates in the first place. Not only the elder guests, but the young waiters were also carrying weapons.

A flurry of curses escaped Kaname beneath his breath, still audible to vampire senses. "Damn, fell straight into this, I suppose?" he said aloud, meant for the hunters to hear. The silver haired male was staring straight at Kaname, and Kaname was staring straight back.

His mask of impassiveness had shattered. Kaname's face now portrayed a sign of recognition upon seeing the silver haired boy. Along with that was a burning hatred in his now crimson colored eyes. The same look was evident in the lavender eyes he was glaring at.

_And would you look at who it is..._ The thought was visible in both the pureblood and Zero Kiryu's eyes before all hell broke loose.

* * *

**_A.N.:_**_ Oh my, I left you all at a cliffie! X3 Sorry about that. I think this chapter is rather long, I just finished it without having proofread much. (Place cute snickering here) And yes. I finished a chapter in a day. Hopefully it wasn't too boring towards the beginning. _ I'll do some proofreading tomorrow after school, perhaps._

_OH! Thank you all for the awesome amount of views in my first chapter! 65 views in a little over 24 hours! I'm amazed at the figures! ^-^ I only got one review though. ;-; Please review. I would love for you to review. I want you to review. Thank you for reviewing~. ;3 And perhaps favorite the story if you like it! (Only got one fav, too. Dx)_


	3. Chapter 3 - Bounty Caught and Bound

_**A.N.:**_ _Phew, got a few reviews to have this chappie added. c: YA'LL GOT YOUR WISH! ;-; Sorry if the fighting stuff sounds bad. I'll try and make it interesting, as well as add a weeeeeee bit of history between Kaname and Zero. I plan for the full history to be revealed in chapter 4. ~Snickers evilly~ I'll mostly focus on the two lovely males in this fight, which is continuing where chapter 2 left off._

_There may be spoilers. Regarding more recent chapters of VK. Involving Zero. *Cough cough* And a twist on Yagari, too. c: I MUST SHUSH, I AM GIVING TOO MUCH AWAY!... Oh, by the way, I added a disclaimer. c: I will keep doing so for chapters to come, SO THERE._

_Ehehe... and there's probably a crapload of grammar mistakes in there. And spelling mistakes. :/ Though I usually catch my spelling errors. You can include any errors you find in a review YOU COULD SO TOTALLY WRITE IF YOU LIKE THIS CHAPTER~_

_**-Disclaimer:**_ _Really wanna own Vampire Knight in all its entirety, but seeing as I have no talent with such a beautiful manga, THIS STUFF AIN'T MINE. NOR AM I MAKING A PROFIT. Solely for entertainment purposes._

_Enjoy~_

* * *

Kaname was the first to have made the move that initiated the battle between hunters and vampires. At first, his sculpted lips had formed a snarl, then a growl escaped passed them as his fingernails slowly lengthened into deadly claws… and then, with his now crimson gaze fixated on Zero, he zipped off the platform and lunged at Zero, vampire speed activated. His arms swung outward in front of him and he could hear a delicious tear of clothing from the motion.

Zero, having detected that Kaname was going to make a drastic move such as that in his angered frenzy, had just dodged, though the front of his white tank top had come out torn. Gunshots came off nearby, though he couldn't tell whether they were directed at the pureblood – by how passionately Yagari had spoken about catching the 'Grand Prize', this could have been the case – or at the other nobles who were now having their share of hunters.

Both males had slowed down again, a few yards apart and facing each other. Kaname was standing tall and proud, looking as if what he had just done had been effortless. And with one of his race, it was. The hunter, however, was now glowering at his rival, with the same look he had given him years before…

_Crimson eyes were nearly menacing as the pureblood squatted in front of the chained and restricted hunter, almost mocking him. _

"_Is something the matter, Kiryu?" the pureblood had nearly sung, though the undertone was slicked with bitter venom._

"_I'm chained and I'm ass naked, Kuran," the lavender eyed hunter spat back, wriggling his wrists in the handcuffs to create a metal clinking sound for emphasis. "What do _you _think?"_

A collision between the two males happened again, Zero's gun aimed and Kaname's fangs and claws bared. Clothes tore and shots went off between the two, and more fires were heard in the background. Once the two parted and remained feet apart, Zero spared a glance through the corner of his eye to see Yagari firing off shots at Aido and Ruka, who were both on him like flies on honey. Rima and Kain had a handful of hunters surrounding them, and flares of fire went off around that group. Takuma and Shiki had a few less they were handling, but Takuma was using his use of energy and electricity so that frequent sounds of shock went off.

When Zero looked forward again, Kaname was already on him, growling lowly in his ear and pressing his claws into the hunter's chest.

_The pureblood leaned in close, gripping the hunter's chin in a steel-strong hold. The hunter could only stare up into the wine red eyes whose shade was now tainted crimson with bloodlust. The cuffs that bounded him at the wrist and ankles were sealed with anti-hunter charms, so he was useless to try and fight back. All he could do was squirm desperately. Which he did at this moment._

_A smooth chuckle came from the male opposite the hunter. "Don't even waste what little power you have left, Kiryu. We've finally caught you after long last; you think we would be light on our security measures?"_

"_No, but one can hope arrogant asses like you would have a flaw in your so-called security," Zero muttered beneath his breath. Then, a sharp pain struck him in the back, and another one on the cheek shortly followed. He could smell the iron-tainted scent of his own blood._

_Kaname had bared his claws and slapped the boy in the face, scratching him purposely while having done so. Apparently, the pureblood's other hand held a snakeskin whip with intricate designs on the handle – anti-hunter charms like the cuffs, Zero realized. Kaname had cracked the whip against Zero's back._

The jacket was torn off Zero while his memories had been invaded, leaving him with his white tank top. "No, God dammit, Kuran!" He nearly screamed, lashing his arm out and shooting a round. It took little to no time for a soft hiss to be heard that gradually increased in volume. The bullet seemed to have found a target. A deep cry sounded off in the distance while Zero was busy fending off Kaname's claw assaults.

"Shit, Kiryu-kun! You don't shoot hunter bullets at a damn hunter himself!" the voice was rough and very much familiar, and another grunt soon sounded off. Aido had blasted the shot male with shards of ice, their sharpness like glass. Black hair whipped violently around the male's face as he fought back with one arm, the other at his eye.

"You fucking lost my eye!" he exclaimed, shooting another bullet from his shotgun with the best aim he could manage while maimed as he was.

Zero couldn't apologize for his poor aim that time, and instead raised a hand up to grip the oncoming fist coming his way from Kaname. He crushed it briefly, before swinging his free hand into the pureblood's gut. The pureblood had brought his knee up for Zero's fist to collide with that instead, and as the knee went farther up, it struck him in his stomach. The whole thing had forced Zero to hold the Bloody Rose between his teeth, where his canines had become fangs, much like the pureblood counterpart he was battling with.

"_Ah… rather harsh, wouldn't you say, Kiryu? And to think, I was about to allow you my blood, since I've already taken so much of yours in your weeks of being trapped here…" The further the pureblood had gone into his sentence, the wider his menacing grin had become, exposing more and more of razor sharp fangs , bloodied at the tips._

_Zero snarled, baring his own teeth. It was an animalistic sound, not the first that had come from him while he had stayed chained this whole time. This made Kaname chuckle and lean in, and when the pureblood next spoke, his soft lips brushed against Zero's chapped ones. "Or… have you forgotten that you already have?" Kaname glanced at the door, as if having sensed something approaching. It was audible to Zero as well. The door was bolted with steel hinges, but its surface was merely oak. But on this steel were more complicated patterns, proving to Zero that this torture chamber was in fact designed to keep him contained inside it._

"_Pity, seems they've finally come looking. You would think little Yuuki would have been smart enough to check my own domain far sooner, wouldn't you, Kiryu?" the pureblood cooed, rising to his feet and taking a silent step towards the door. This was stopped when his attention was diverted to the hunter again, who had turned his head towards the door and was now squirming in his restraints… again._

"_You bastard! I'm in your fucking house?! Since when do you keep fucking sadist-masochist torture cells in here?!" Zero demanded in a near shout. His wild lavender eyes were directed at Kaname, who now had a hand on his hip and an eyebrow cocked in disbelief. The pureblood now came over and slipped two fingers in the hunter's mouth to keep him quiet. Zero bit into them with his fangs, already beginning to involuntarily suck the blood from the puncture wounds._

"_Since I became a sadist," Kaname dully replied, as if the answer were obvious. He continued after seeing the hunters eyes glow bright red as he continued to drink. "Poor little thing wants his ambrosia now, does he? Too bad. Your little Yuuki will catch you and we don't want that, now do we?" The pureblood tugged his fingers gently, knowing that Zero wouldn't stop as the footsteps neared._

_Quickly, Kaname bowed his head while Zero hungrily sucked at the pureblood's fingers, brushing his fangs along the hunter's brutalized neck, where scars from past bites still remained. Without any further hesitation, he sank his fangs in and briefly drank from Zero, and when he finished, he licked the wounds closed and straightened up, just as the door was heard slowly creaking open._

"_Damn, took a damn long while, fucking spells…" the master hunter was muttering beneath his breath as he stepped in, his boots somewhat loud against the stone floor. The small Yuuki remained in the doorway, chocolate brown eyes wide and fixed on the naked Zero, who was still drinking like a baby as he growled._

"_Z-Zero!" she exclaimed, dashing in. The few torches that were lit around the walls of the chamber showed that the girl was still in her Day Class uniform. "Get off of Kaname-sama!" she got behind Zero and placed her hands on his shoulders, tugging him backward as much as the chains would allow him to. This worked, considering that his fangs tore from the puncture marks they had caused in Kaname's fingers, and the hunter was now looking up at a triumphant Kaname. But he couldn't be mad. He ended smirking at Kaname's efforts. _Good game, Kuran,_ Zero's eyes seemed to say to Kaname._

_Kaname managed a shrug as if in response to the message and began licking the dripping blood from his fingers, before bringing his hand back to his side and speaking to Yuuki, "I assume you want him back, Yuuki. You can have him; he's nearly starved, anyways. He can eat from Cross's leftover meals." The satisfied grin upon Kaname's lips widened._

_Cross? Who was Cross? Kaname and Yagari seemed to know him, but why didn't Zero..? _

The same grin was found on Kaname's face even now, as Zero released the pureblood's hand and prepared for a duck to an attack he knew would come. Kaname had planned to strike Zero in the face with his claws, but as Zero lowered into a quick squat, this ultimately backfired, as Zero swung his legs out at the pureblood's and knocked him down onto his back on the ground.

Instead of waiting for the pureblood to get back on his feet, Zero stared at Kaname's malicious face as he dove down onto older male. A strong grip kept Kaname's hands by his head, fingernails pressing into his palms. But the pureblood had been quick with his legs, swiftly bringing one knee up to Zero's crotch and ensuring that the hunter rolled off of him in temporary pain. The pain quickly subsided just as Kaname went to stand again, and Zero was able to take aim with his Bloody Rose and fire a shot. Kaname had blurred out of sight upon hearing shot seconds too late. A screech like a banshee rang out, and silence spread throughout the whole dry terrain.

Both vampires and hunters alike turned their heads to the now alone Zero, all staring in wonder at where the pureblood could have gone. Of course, the nobles knew, and were inwardly smirking about this. They turned back to their opposers and prepared to sneak in a surprise attack, though they were already braced for this. Especially Yagari, even with one eye. He had loaded his shotgun and had already fired well aimed shots at Aido, Ruka, and Kain from afar. Ruka's side was nicked by the bullet, Aido had put up a thick ice wall to capture the one aimed towards him, and Kain had gotten shot in the shoulder.

The sudden burst of birds from the trees surrounding the area had warned Zero of what was to come. A flurry of black bats – Zero had seen these bats before during a lesson of Yagari's; they were vampire bats - materialized in front of the hunter. They swarmed and clouded into a black mass, and a giant dome began to form. Not large enough to encase all the vampires and the hunters, just Zero and his single target. With more screeches even higher in pitch, the bats dispersed into thin air. In their place was Kaname Kuran, chocolate brown hair whipping violently about his enraged face, eyes returned to their normal color. At his neck, pure blood was gushing rapidly.

A bullet had struck him there, and the blood coming from the wound matched the swirling color of the dome surrounding the two. The dome was translucent, reflecting dark dusk rays peacefully even given the situation, and the nobles were occasionally sparing the creation glances of awe.

Kaname seemed a completely different being. His smooth, originally clean uniform was now tainted with spatters of blood and dust from the terrain. At the sleeves the jacket and the shirt were torn, so Kaname easily discarded these as he dashed forward toward the awaiting Zero. Hair was blown about from the wind that was swirling around within the dome. The structure blocked out a majority of the sound, as well.

Zero, even though he had been a stance that made it seem like he was going to retaliate, had been too caught up in overwhelming urges to drink straight from the neck of the attacking pureblood before him. Eyes darkened to a dark crimson, it was obvious he was high on a period of bloodlust, since he was surrounded by a creation made up from the pure blood of Kaname Kuran, and the substance was continuing to ooze from its source at the vampire's neck wound.

"Bastard, aim that gun somewhere else, since you _know_ just how vital I am to your lifestyle," Kaname spat, already having leapt on Zero and caused the two of them to crash back down onto the ground. Zero groaned as the back of his head began to throb from both the impact and the assault on all his senses with Kaname's blood so close by. The pureblood had spoken by Zero's neck, breath striking the skin in a delicate manner, even though Kaname's tone had been iced with bitterness. Zero's fangs began to throb softly, as was another part of his body that was creating a tightening in his pants.

Zero could feel claws raking down his tank top and tear the clothing apart, to the point where it all fell off his form. Both males were now shirtless, muscled planes of sweat-slicked chest pressed flush against each other. Now the claws were creating deep tears along Zero's originally flawless pale skin, which ushered a strangled grunt to escape past the hunter's parted lips. He pressed the barrel of his gun to the back of Kaname's neck and pulled the trigger. Just before his finger had pushed down on the trigger, he felt the presence of the pureblood disappear from above him.

Having shot at nothing, downward, the only thing that the bullet struck was Zero himself. Directly above the collarbone just above the heart. Zero's eyes widened, his mouth opened as if he had planned to scream as he heard the typical hiss that came from hunter bullets making contact with vampire flesh. No scream came out, just the strangled cry of pain that felt as if it were eating away his insides.

But this loss of blood sparked something within Zero. The hunter noticed this before Kaname could reappear.

When Kaname had his own blood shed from a wound, he could create a blood dome and intoxicate Zero. Now that Zero's blood was shed, couldn't Zero create something of his own?

Zero struggled to stand up, much less even sit up straight. It took him several seconds, and this was just the amount of time the hunter was spared until Kaname reappeared a few yards away, a wicked smile upon his lips once more.

One hand up at his wound, the other raising to aim the Bloody Rose, Zero's face contorted with both pain and concentration. The specific amount of concentration it took doubled the amount of pain that ate at his flesh and muscles. His head was pounding from the effort it was requiring.

But this fact was what caused his own power to erupt from deep within the hunter. With a grunt that built up from a soft sound to a loud boom, vines shot out from the arid land. All were covered in thorns, big enough to see but small enough so that there were many in abundance on each vine that burst from the earth. These vines' target was the pureblood that was breaking into a dash at the hunter, arms outstretched and the claws unsheathed, covered in blood. Zero's blood.

The vines retracted backwards, backing up so they were merely a foot in front of Zero. They compacted to form a tight, unbreakably strong wall that Kaname tore into. It stung Zero internally, since the vines were constructed of his blood, but soon the vines began to regenerate their outer skin with more concentration on Zero's part. Quickly, Kaname avoiding crashing into this – though he did break several claws, much to his shame – and swerved around the natural blockade, diving behind the vines and lashing out what claws he did have at Zero.

Zero made an effort to aim, though a rough hand of Kaname's jerked the hunter's arm off trajectory and the shot was fired into Zero's vines, which had originally begun to swirl around Zero in defense. With Several vines shots in their centers, Zero grunted out, his concentration faltering for several seconds as he stumbled back. When he straightened up, he saw that Kaname had summoned his bats and was now commanding them to pierce and tear at the vines with their tiny fangs. More shreds in Zero's skin made themselves apparent, as well as a new wound on his body, this one in his hipbone and bleeding through the waistline of his jeans. Combined with the amount of scent of pure blood lingering in the air, Zero found it near impossible to recover. But this same effect was found in Kaname, whose eyes also indicated bloodlust.

The bats subsided when Kaname made a direct attack on the hunter, mouth wide as if he were planning to rip and tear at more of Zero's flesh with viciously sharp fangs. Zero slowly raised his gun to aim at Kaname again, his other arm bracing for an impact in case his shot went awry.

Then, he fired at point blank, having pulled the trigger once Kaname's forehead was in the gun's sight.

Kaname had sensed that Zero was going to pull the trigger, so he ducked and rolled just before the shot went off, causing the bullet to penetrate him at the other side of his neck, mid-roll. Another screech sounded off, coming straight from the pureblood himself, an earsplitting, almost obnoxious sound. The attack Zero had prepared for from Kaname had never happened.

Slowly, he inclined his head to check on Kaname, who was now on the ground, holding his neck. His hair, the same length, was matted to the blood that was pouring from both wounds. The vines seemed to recede back into the ground, not before curling around the pureblood and restraining his limbs from movement.

"Have I got you now, Kuran?" he said softly, his gaze flickering from the panting bloodied pureblood, to the dome that was beginning to fade. The sounds of battle had subsided. All hunters, guns held, were either staring at their captives, or staring at the fallen pureblood. The nobles were all restrained, whether through magic seals, or through cuffs that kept their wrists or ankles from moving individually.

For several seconds, Kaname was quiet. His dark eyes, also glowing crimson like that of Zero's, were also glowing with pure loathing. But beneath this layer of loathing was a deep abyss of affection and love for the hunter whom had just now caught his bounty.

"Just like old times, Zero," Kaname murmured, his tone nearly raspy. Even so, it still had the smooth edge to it. The vines keeping the pureblood restrained morphed into cuffs. Yagari, having torn a part of his long coat and used it as a substitute eyepatch round his head, was trudging over, shotgun barrel dragging along the ground.

"We've got our prizes, boys," his voice boomed, even though his tone was of shame for the vampire race that had just succumbed to their hunter counterparts.

Hunters began to haul their bounties back to the parking lot. The hotel was abandoned by both groups, the patio left a complete wreck.

Zero slung Kaname over his shoulder and walked behind the rest of the hunters in melancholic silence. A warm breath struck the hunter's back at a slow rate, and Zero could have sworn he felt lips against his shoulder blades that seemed to kiss the area tenderly.

_With help from a somewhat reluctant Kaname, Yagari was able to disable the hunter charms on the cuffs and the door, allowing Zero his freedom of movement again. Before the younger hunter could bolt, however, Yagari had taken off his long coat and draped it across Zero's shoulders. "No nudity in front of the girl, Kiryu-kun. Save it for when you're older." The master hunter said before lighting a cigar he had pulled from the long coat pocket just as he had finished clothing the boy. Then Zero was taken by the arms and led out of the chamber, Yuuki following beside the two hunters. Kaname was only a foot behind Zero, and reached out to pat the hunter's backside lightly._

_"Good job, vampire." he said quietly._

Zero blinked dumbfoundedly as the group of hunters neared the parking lot. What had the pureblood just said to him?

* * *

_**A.N.:** Woooaaaahhh, I finally finished this. It actually only took me a few hours to type this in total. Three days worth, though. _

_You guys like what I did with Yagari's eye and Zero's vines? x3 Added a twist on the story and stuff._

_I bet you guys are all like, "Woah, Comtemplation, Kaname caught Zero at one point, dominated him, raped him maybe? HOW DID DIS HAPPEN?! I ISH SO CONFUUUSSSEEEEDDDD!" _

_No fretting, guys. I PLAN TO REVEAL MORE OF THE BACKSTORY IN THE NEXT CHAAAAPPPIIIEEEE! :3 _

_The fighting stuff sucked. ;w; I had soooo much trouble thinking of how to do it creatively, but then it came out as a brain fart. - 3 - I'm sorry you guys had to read this chapter (the longest one so far) and were thoroughly bored by it. :/_

_Review please! It needs reviewing. :3 Please, DO EEETTTTT. Not just the 1-5 worded reviews, either. I mean, those are cool, but. PLEASE GIVE ME THE WONDERFUL, GRAMMATICALLY CORRECT SENTENCES FOR YOUR REVIEWS~! THOSE ONES TOUCH MY HEART THE MOST! *Sucker for long reviews* c:_


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